Heat-actuated device



Mfch 4,1930. i C, G. WEBER v 1,749,010

HEAT ACTUATED DEVICE Filed Jan. 12, 1928 I 1 /7 -3 za /7- a Z/ Zy- Co/m@ JWM;

INVENTOR. l'

Patented Mar. 4, 1930 Ulmrlzp STATES' einem" OFFICE CORNELIUS G. WEBER, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN HEAT-Acrunrnn DEVICE vApplication led January 12, 1928-. Serial No. 246,284.

improvements in ture. Furthermore, when the fusible -isl used in automatic sprinklerA systems, asepa- .rate link has to be provided for each nozzle in the system. Another type of device comprises a single container filled with an expansible" fluid. The container is connected by tubing to an expansible member which 'moves the actuating mechanism when the fluid pressure, vdue to a rise in temperature,

affects the expansible member. In this type of device a vent is used in the tube-which vent is so restricted that the fluid can vescape only very gradually. Thus, upon a slow rise in temperature, the fluid will escape through the vent without affecting vthe expansible member. However, upon a sudden rise, the

that the vent is notpossessed of constant expandlg fluid will not have time to escape and will pass thevent and operate the eX- pansible member. Thus the device will operate only when a rapid rise in temperature, such as that caused by a fire, takes place. This device, however, is open to the objection characteristics, as moisture or dust may either stop up the vent entirely, or else change the rate Vat which the iiuid can pass therethrough.

Itis one ofthe objects of the present invention to overcome the aforementioned objec tions, and to provide a heat actuated device, which may be used to control mechanism generally, but which is more particularly adapted for use in automatic sprinkler systems,

which operates only'upon a rapid rate of rise in temperature, that is, when the temperature rises at afpredetermined minimum rate, and which device has no air vent in which foreign matter can accumulate to cause a stoppage.

It is -a further object of this invention to provide a heat actuateddevice, which, when' used in an automatic sprinkler system, controls the main valve or other valves, and operates allof the sprinkler nozzles simultaneously, withoutl the necessity of having a separate control for each nozzle.

, It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a heat actuated device having two containers with an expansible fluid therein,-

ing affected for a time period by a r'apid .change in temperature, said fluid operating to actuate a- -valve or other mechanism, whereas the fluids, in both containers Will be affected by a gradual change in temperature and as the force created by the fluid in o'ne Y container operates in a direction opposed to the force created by the uid -in the other'con- -.tainer, they will equalize one another, and the actuating mechanism?` will not be put into operation. l

It is a further object of this invention to provide a heat actuated device which issimple in constructionand operation, and well adapted for the purpose described.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists ofthe improved heat actuated device and all its parts and combinathe contents of only one of said containers betions as set forth in the claims and all equivalents thereof. 0

In the accompanying drawing, in which the same reference characters designate the same parts in all of the views: 1

Fig. Vl isa view of a portion of a sprinkler system equipped with the improved heat actuated device;

Fig. 2 is a similar view on an enlarged scale showing the heat actuated mechanism, in detail, parts being broken away, and parts being shown inf section; and 'S Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3`3 of Fig. 2.

' Referring to the drawing, the numeral 5 designates an outer container or thermostatic member, constructed preferably of metal. Within the container 5 is a second container 6, maintained in position in the outer container by supports 7, said inner container having an opening 8 therein. A. tube 9 1s connected to the outer bontainer, and a tube-l l() directly communicates with the opening 8 yof the inner container. The inner container may be covered with any insulating material if desired to prevent the iiuid within from being susceptible to rapid changes in temperature. If desired, the containers may be se arate, but it may be more convenient and. e ective in some cases to have one positioned v .within the other as shown. Any number of l tracts according to temperature changes. It-

'rod 13 to t may readily be seen that upon expansion. of' the iiuid in the'outer container for a predetermined period only, a pressure due o the time lag of the heating of the luidthe inner cylinder, is created within the member 11, causinglthe same to expand and move the e left. When, on the other hand, the fluid in both containers expands substantially equally, therewill be two substantially equal and opposite forces working on the rod 13, which will equalize each other, and as a yresult the rod. will remain practically stationary.

-A lug 14 is secured to the rod* 13 by a set screw 15. Below the rod 13 isa rod 16journaled in suitable bearings 17. An extension arm 18 is rigidly secured to the rod 16, and

normally is engaged by the lug llonthe rod) 13. A lever 19, also rigidlysecured to and extending from the rod 16, has extendingl therefrom a cord 20, onthe lower end of which 1s a weight 21.11A lug 22 is also secured lto the rod16 normally engaging one end 23 y of a bell crank lever.r The bell crank lever is mounted on lthe rod 24. The other end 25 of the bell crank leverhas a cord 26 extending therefrom, on the lowerf end of; which is a weight 27. The end 25 ofthe bellA crank lever engages a valvelever 28- on the valve 29 of awater supply pipe 30. The supply pipe is in connection with other pips31, on

which nozzles 32- are positioned at intervals.l The operation of the device is as follows:

'When the temperature in the region of the container rises at a vrate greater than `a predetermined minimum, as when a lire occurs, the lfluid in the outer container 5 expands. The fluid in the inecontainer will not be affected as rapidly, due to the fact that'itJ is'spaced o r lnsulated fromfthe outer container. As a result there willcbe a lid pressure transmitted through theftube 9 to'thel expansible member 11, and tlelatter will expand, moving the rod 13 lengthwise so that the lug 14 will disengage the extension arm 18. The pressure lin the expansible member 12 will be almost negligible as there has been insufficient timefor the increased temperature to penetrate the inner container 6, and as a result the Huid within the latter has been unaffected. As the member 18 has been disengaged by the lug 14, the weight 21 will cause the rod 16 to rotate. This will in turn cause the lug 22 to disengage the lever end 23, allowing the weight 27 to pull down on the lever end 25 causing the latter to move the valve lever 28 to open'the valve. This permits water to circulate through the pipes 31, and out of the nozzles 32 to extinguish the ire. ,When there is a gradual rise in temperature -such as is caused by ordinary changes in temperature conditions, there will be ample time for the heat to penetrate .the covering of the inner container and as a result, the fluid in both containers will be affected substantially alike by slow temperature changes. As both luids will exert a pressure there will be opposite forces working -on each end ofthe rod 13, and as a result,

the lwill substantially equalize one another an no movement of the rod 13 will occur. Thus the actuating mechanism will not be put into operation by slow temperature c han es, but only by rapid changes such as are caused by a ire. v

l VAlthough the device has been described with reference to lits use in automatic sprinkler systems,-it is not desired to llimit t e scope of this invention to that particular adaptation, as the broad concept contemplates other uses such asthe lstarting and stopping of motors, and the opening and closing of doors, windows, or valves of various types.

Furthermore, the device does lnot necessarily j have to operate'through mechanical rmeans, but it may be used to operate electrical controls which will put into-operation mechanism for opening or closing valves or other mechanism. y I x x From the foregoing description it may be seen that the imprpved'heat actuated device is simple in construction and operation, and well adapted for the purpose described.

i 1. 1A-heat actuated device comprising actuy I atingr mechanism, means 'normally engaging said actuating mechanlsm to hold the same in inoperative position, thermostatic means rapidly influenced by rapid changes in tem- 1 perature for controlling said engaging means,

and a second thermostatic means: a'ected less rapidly than 'the iirst mentioned thermostatic means by rapid changes in Vtemperature, but .affected thesame in substantially I' the same lengthof time by slow temperature changes for preventing the Iirstmentioned thermostatic means from operating the engaging means when a slow temperature change occurs.

2. A heat actuated device comprising actuating mechanism, means normally engaging said actuating mechanism to hold the same in inoperative position, an expansible member connected. toeach end of and operating towards each other upon said engaging means for operating said engaging means to release said actuating mechanism, a container in communication with each of said expansible members, and an expansible fluid in each con tainer and each expansible member, the fluid` in each container being `in communication with the fluid in its respective expansible member, the relative arrangement'of said containers being such that one of said fluids is more rapidly influenced by a rapid change in temperature in the region of the containers than the other.

A3. A heat actuated device comprising actuating niechanism,"means normally engaging said actuating mechanism, to hold the same in inoperative position, an expansib e member conne ted to eachvend of and op rating towards each other upon said engagin means for operating said engaging means .to release said actuatmgmechanism, an outer container in communication with one of said expansible members, a second container positioned w1th1n-sa1d outer container and havmg a tubular connection with the other eXpansi-' ble member,`and an expansible fluid for each container, the fluid in the outer container being more rapidly iniuenced by a rapid change in temperature in the region of the containers than the Huid in the other.

4. A heat actuated device comprising ac- .'tuating mechanism, means normally engaging said actuting mechanismv to hold the s'ame rin inoperative position, an expansible member connected to each end of and operating towards each other upon said engaging means j or operating said engaging means to release said actuating mechanism, an outer container, a second container positioned within said outer container, a tubular member connect- 'ing each container with its respective expanature in the region of the thermostatic means occurs.

6. A heat actuated device comprising a control member, a lever for operating control member, a weight for operating said lever, engaging means for said lever for normall holding it in inoperative position, a weig t for operating said^enga g means, a second engaging means for holiiig saidsecond weight in inoperative position, and thermostati/means .so arranged as to cause actuation o said second. engaging vmeans only when a rapid change in temperature in the region ofthe thermostatic means occurs.

7. The combination with a sprinkler system having a control valve, of actuating mechanism for said valve, means normally engaging said actuating mechanism to hold the same in inoperative position, thermostac means rapidly influenced by rapid temperature changes forcontrolling said engaging means, and a second thermostatic means affected less rapidly than-the rst mentioned thermostatic means by rapid temperaturev changes, but affected the same in substantially the same length ot' time by slow temperature changes for preventing the first mentioned'thermostatic means from operating the engaging means when a slow temperaturechange occurs.

8. The combination with a sprinkler system having a control Valve for a plurality of nozzles, of actuating mechanism for said Valvefneans normally engaging said actuat- ,v ing mechanism to hold the same in inoperative position, a thermostatic member, portions of which are remotely positioned, said remotely positioned portions being aected rapidly by rapid temperature changes for controlling said engaging means, and a ther- -mostatic member, ortions of which are also remotely positione said remotely positioned portions beingaifected less rapidly by rapid temperature changes, but being affected the same in substantially the same length 'of time by slow temperature changes for preventing the first mentioned thermostatic means from voperating the engaging means when aslow temperature change occurs.

9. A heat actuated device comprising actuating mechanism, thermostatic means rapidly influenced by rapid changes in temperature forcontrolhng said actuating mechanism,

.and a. second thermostatic means affected less rapidly than the first mentioned thermostatic means by rapid changes in temperature, but alected the same in substantially the same for preventing the first mentioned thermostatic means from operating the actuating mechanism when a. slow temperature change occurs.

10. A heat actuated device comprising actuating mechanism, means normally engaging said actuating mechanism to hold the same' in inoperative position. an expansible member connected to each end of and operating towards each other upon said'engaging means for operating said engaging means to length of time by slow temperature changes release said actuating mechanism, and a con- /tainer holdingv an expansible fluid 4in commul nication with each of said expansible members, the relative arrangement of said containers being such that the fluid in one of said containers is more rapidly inuenced-by a. rapid change in temperature in the region of the containers than the other.

In testimony whereof, I aiX my signature.

- CORNELIUS G. WEBER. 

